1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to drumsticks and more particularly, to non-slip drumsticks which use a flexible, synthetic finger-band to hold the index finger in a fixed position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many musical groups of today such as marching bands, dance bands, and the like, present musical interludes for viewing by multitudes of people, such as in parades, during half-time activities of an athletic contest, during a "pop" music concert, or the like. A drummer and the drumbeat which a drummer provides to a musical group is indispensable to that group. The drumbeat becomes the basic beat of the music that emanates from the group. The rhythm of the dream may at times stand alone in a musical composition, but a composition is seldom without the rhythmic accompaniment of a drum. The main contribution and his playing to music are aural. However, the contribution is also visual. The flash of the spinning drumsticks and the rhythmic waving of the drummer's hands, arms, and the whole body are part of the drummer's presence.
When performing with a standard drumstick, the drummer has a preferred grip location on the shaft. This position is what produces the optimum performance. While playing, the drummer frequently loses the preferred grip and has to regain the original position. Occasionally, the drumstick may slip completely out of the drummer's hand. The problem becomes worse if the drummer's hand is sweaty. This slippage is due mainly to the centrifugal force of the front section of the drumstick while in motion. Several prior art attempts have been made to assist in gripping a drumstick.
One such attempt may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 297,546 to Seals which shows a drumstick having a large wrist band attached thereto. U.S. Pat. No. 3,365,108 to Giba discloses a retaining device for drumsticks wherein a ring which is worn on a finger of the drummer's hand is connected to the drumstick by a short, flexible, and freely swiveling connection whose length is such that when the drumstick is held in the proper playing position there is not interference with the use of the drumstick and when the drummer releases his finger grip on the drumstick, the same remains within reach of his fingers.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,859,887 to Buchanan discloses a drumstick gripping aid provided with a freely pivotal grip which serves as an instructional aid by which the drumstick can be held without interfering with the free angular movement of the drumstick about the pivot axis between the grip and the drumstick. U.S. Pat. No. 3,866,508 to Huslig discloses a drumstick constructed with at least a portion of the length thereof to be gripped by a user generally flattened in one transverse direction to facilitate more comfortable and positive holding and manipulation of the stick.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,836 to Baumgart discloses a drumstick or the left hand having three recesses in the peripheral region of the short flexor of the thumb, another for the ring finger, and the third for the middle finger. U.S. Pat. No. 4,476,768 to Willis discloses a drumstick having a non-bulbous tip and a grip portion to facilitate holding of the stick. The end of the stick is sharply tapered, ending in a point.
None of the above prior art devices provide the convenience, simplicity, nor effectiveness of the flexible, synthetic fingerband of the present invention to hold the index finger, and thus the hand, in a fixed position and still provide a pivot point for spinning (revolving) the stick around the finger.